Awakening Beauty

Then he hopped up beside her, his body shielding her from the rest of the volunteers.

“Those are the ugliest shoes I’ve ever seen on a woman,” he said.

“You’ve made that point before.” She looked down at the combat-boot-style shoe. “They’re comfortable and warm. Like yours.” She lightly kicked his foot. He wore something similar in dark tan. His had seen better days.

He simply stared at her for a minute. He didn’t want to talk about shoes. He wanted to tell her how great she’d been. How much she’d impressed him with her talents and dedication. But all he could say was, “You amazed me. You just came in and took over.”

She blinked wide eyes. “Oh, Lord, I did, didn’t I? Do you think they’ll be upset? It’s their project and I’m the outsider.”

Tyler smiled and shook his head. “It’s the school’s project, and did you see Suzanne dragging out of here? She was grateful for your help. They all were.”

Lane shrugged. “It was fun, I admit it. How did you guys do?” she asked before he could question how she’d done so much work so fast.

Tyler cranked a look back over his shoulder at the stacks of plywood and sawhorses. And unfinished work. “We’ve got one more set to make and some painting to do, but that can wait till tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow.” She groaned.

“Service to the community,” he reminded with a smile.

“I’m helping,” she defended. “And the only reason I’m doing it is because your mother guilted me into this.”

“I know. Do I know weaponry or what?”

She laughed softly.

“You have a great mouth, Lane. You should do that more often.”

“I do laugh, at least twice a day.”

“Just not around me.”

“Fishing for compliments? I’d think with your fan club you wouldn’t need more.”

He frowned and Lane nodded toward a couple of young women who kept sliding glances at Tyler.

“They’re children.”

“They’re in their twenties, McKay, and trying hard to get your attention.”

He looked back at Lane. “Well, they’re failing.” But before she could make a wisecrack he said, “I know by your accent that you’re not from around here, so what brought you to the South?”

Lane debated answering that and chose her words carefully. “Slow pace, beautiful scenery.” Anonymity.

“Have you always sold books?”

“Yes.” Another lie on top of the last one. But at this point, what did it matter? She was sitting at the tip of a mountain of lies and she kept having to scramble to keep from falling off.

“What made you take that old house and renovate it?”

No lies necessary here. “I fell in love with the place the instant I saw it, despite its hideous green paint. The house was like a genteel old woman. She was dying from neglect and cried out for a new dress and hairdo.”

He smiled.

“What?” She snitched one of his chips.

“That’s how I used to see the old homes around here. Not exactly like that, but like old souls that were fading. You know, my grandfather and father started out doing strictly renovations. McKay Construction didn’t renovate yours, did we?”

“No, your competition did.”

He clutched his heart, keeling over a little.

“Your company’s bid was too high.”

She’d removed the pickles from her sub and Tyler ate them. “Quality, my dear.”

“Hey, they did a good job. And the renovation met the historical society’s rules. And I did most of the restoration myself.”

His brows shot up. “How’d you learn?”

She stared at him for a heartbeat, then said, “I read a book.”

Behind them, at the back of the stage, people began cleaning up the mess, capping paint cans and collecting wood.

Yet Tyler kept his gaze on Lane, fascinated by the gold starburst in her deep-brown eyes. He wanted to see her without glasses, but it was like a prize he’d gain after a long journey. He could wait.

When she popped the last bite of her sub into her mouth, he reached out, a napkin curled in his fingers. She lurched back a little bit, but he kept coming, wiping the mustard off her jaw.

When his thumb rubbed across her lip, she gripped his wrist. “Tyler.”

He twisted his hand around and caught hers. Heat pooled between them, sliding from her body in a pulse that rippled into him, then back again. His blood thickened, moving slower and hotter through his veins. For a heart-stopping moment, Tyler felt himself sinking. Her mouth was wide and plump, so damn kissable he wished they were alone. And that hungry thought surprised the hell out of him. He barely knew her. In fact, all he knew for sure was that she’d grabbed his curiosity and wouldn’t let go.